Israel launched airstrikes early Monday on multiple Houthi-controlled sites across Yemen, targeting three key ports—Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Salif—as well as the Ras Qantib power plant. 

According to the Israeli military, the strikes came in response to ongoing missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi forces, marking Israel’s first offensive in Yemen in nearly a month.

Shortly after the bombardment, Israel reported that two missiles were fired from Yemen. While attempts were made to intercept them, the success of these operations remained unclear. 

No casualties or damages were reported by Israeli emergency services.

The strikes come amid broader regional fallout from the Gaza conflict, which erupted in October 2023. 

Since then, the Houthis have launched projectiles at Israel and disrupted shipping routes in the Red Sea in what they claim is an expression of solidarity with Palestinians. 

Many of their missiles and drones have either been intercepted or failed to reach their targets.

Among the targets struck was the Galaxy Leader, a ship seized by Houthi forces in late 2023. Israeli authorities allege that the Houthis installed a radar system on the vessel to monitor maritime activity.

Houthi officials responded by claiming their air defenses countered the Israeli strikes using domestically produced surface-to-air missiles. 

Residents of Hodeidah reported widespread power outages after the main power station was damaged, plunging the city into darkness.

The attacks came just hours after an unidentified group targeted a commercial ship near Hodeidah, forcing the crew to abandon it. 

No party has claimed responsibility, although maritime security analysts suspect Houthi involvement.

Despite facing strikes from Israel and Saudi-led forces, the Houthis—under leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi—have evolved into a formidable force with advanced weaponry, allegedly supplied by Iran, a claim Tehran denies.

SMS/